Theencampmentsoftheseheterogeneousmultitudesofferedasingularaspect。Thosevassalswhorangedthemselvesunderthebannersoftheirlord，erectedtentsaroundhiscastle；whilethosewhoundertookthewarontheirownaccount，constructedboothsandhutsintheneighbourhoodofthetownsorvillages，preparatorytotheirjoiningsomepopularleaderoftheexpedition。ThemeadowsofFrancewerecoveredwithtents。AsthebelligerentsweretohaveremissionofalltheirsinsontheirarrivalinPalestine，hundredsofthemgavethemselvesuptothemostunboundedlicentiousness:thecourtezan，withtheredcrossuponhershoulders，pliedhershamelesstradewithsensualpilgrims，withoutscrupleoneitherside:theloverofgoodcheergaveloosereintohisappetite，anddrunkennessanddebaucheryflourished。TheirzealintheserviceoftheLordwastowipeoutallfaultsandfollies，andtheyhadthesamesuretyofsalvationastherigidanchorite。Thisreasoninghadcharmsfortheignorant，andthesoundsoflewdrevelryandthevoiceofprayerroseatthesameinstantfromthecamp。
Itisnowtimetospeakoftheleadersoftheexpedition。GreatmultitudesrangedthemselvesunderthecommandofPetertheHermit，whom，astheoriginator，theyconsideredthemostappropriateleaderofthewar。Othersjoinedthebannerofaboldadventurer，whomhistoryhasdignifiedwithnoothernamethanthatofGautiersansAvoir，orWalterthePennyless，butwhoisrepresentedashavingbeenofnoblefamily，andwellskilledintheartofwar。AthirdmultitudefromGermanyflockedaroundthestandardofamonk，namedGottschalk，ofwhomnothingisknown，exceptthathewasafanaticofthedeepestdye。Allthesebands，whichtogetheraresaidtohaveamountedtothreehundredthousandmen，women，andchildren，werecomposedofthevilestrascalityofEurope。Withoutdiscipline，principle，ortruecourage，theyrushedthroughthenationslikeapestilence，spreadingterroranddeathwherevertheywent。ThefirstmultitudethatsetforthwasledbyWalterthePennylessearlyinthespringof1096，withinaveryfewmonthsaftertheCouncilofClermont。Eachmanofthatirregularhostaspiredtobehisownmaster:liketheirnominalleader，eachwaspoortopenury，andtrustedforsubsistenceonhisjourneytothechancesoftheroad。RollingthroughGermanylikeatide，theyenteredHungary，where，atfirst，theywerereceivedwithsomedegreeofkindnessbythepeople。Thelatterhadnotyetcaughtsufficientofthefireofenthusiasmtojointhecrusadethemselves，butwerewillingenoughtoforwardthecausebyaidingthoseembarkedinit。Unfortunately，thisgoodunderstandingdidnotlastlong。Theswarmwerenotcontentedwithfoodfortheirnecessities，butcravedforluxuriesalso:theyattackedandplunderedthedwellingsofthecountrypeople，andthoughtnothingofmurderwhereresistancewasoffered。OntheirarrivalbeforeSemlin，theoutragedHungarianscollectedinlargenumbers，and，attackingtherearofthecrusadinghost，slewagreatmanyofthestragglers，and，takingawaytheirarmsandcrosses，affixedthemastrophiestothewallsofthecity。Walterappearstohavebeeninnomoodorconditiontomakereprisals；forhisarmy，destructiveasaplagueoflocustswhenplunderurgedthemon，wereuselessagainstanyregularattackfromadeterminedenemy。
TheirrearcontinuedtobethusharassedbythewrathfulHungariansuntiltheywerefairlyoutoftheirterritory。OnhisentranceintoBulgaria，Waltermetwithnobetterfate；thecitiesandtownsrefusedtolethimpass；thevillagesdeniedhimprovisions；andthecitizensandcountrypeopleuniting，slaughteredhisfollowersbyhundreds。Theprogressofthearmywasmorelikearetreatthananadvance；butasitwasimpossibletostandstill，WaltercontinuedhiscoursetillhearrivedatConstantinople，withaforcewhichfamineandtheswordhaddiminishedtoone-thirdofitsoriginalnumber。
Thegreatermultitude，ledbytheenthusiasticHermit，followedcloseuponhisheels，withabulkytrainofbaggage，andwomenandchildren，sufficienttoformahostofthemselves。IfitwerepossibletofindarabblemorevilethanthearmyofWalterthePennylessitwasthatledbyPetertheHermit。Beingbetterprovidedwithmeans，theywerenotreducedtothenecessityofpillageintheirprogressthroughHungary；andhadtheytakenanyotherroutethanthatwhichledthroughSemlin，mightperhapshavetraversedthecountrywithoutmolestation。Ontheirarrivalbeforethatcity，theirfurywasraisedatseeingthearmsandredcrossesoftheirpredecessorshangingastrophiesoverthegates。Theirpent-upferocityexplodedatthesight。
Thecitywastumultuouslyattacked，andthebesiegersentering，notbydintofbravery，butofsuperiornumbers，itwasgivenuptoallthehorrorswhichfollowwhenVictory，Brutality，andLicentiousnessarelinkedtogether。Everyevilpassionwasallowedtorevelwithimpunity，andrevenge，lust，andavarice，——eachhaditshundredvictimsinunhappySemlin。Anymaniaccankindleaconflagration，butitrequiresmanywisementoputitout。PetertheHermithadblownthepopularfuryintoaflame，buttocoolitagainwasbeyondhispower。Hisfollowersriotedunrestrained，untilthefearofretaliationwarnedthemtodesist。WhentheKingofHungarywasinformedofthedisastersofSemlin，hemarchedwithasufficientforcetochastisetheHermit，whoatthenewsbrokeuphiscampandretreatedtowardstheMorava，abroadandrapidstreamthatjoinstheDanubeafewmilestotheeastwardofBelgrade。HereapartyofindignantBulgariansawaitedhim，andsoharassedhimastomakethepassageoftheriverataskbothofdifficultyanddanger。Greatnumbersofhisinfatuatedfollowersperishedinthewaters，andmanyfellundertheswordsoftheBulgarians。TheancientchroniclesdonotmentiontheamountoftheHermit’slossatthispassage，butrepresentitingeneraltermsasverygreat。